How did you end up owning the car(s) that you have now?

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JonMad
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Currently Driving: 2015 Swift; 2012 Yeti; 2006 Fabia

Re: How did you end up owning the car(s) that you have now?

Post by JonMad »

Skoda Yeti 1.2TSi SE Plus - Wanted to move away from having my company car as the sensible option to give me the opportunity to buy something more fun, so needed something small enough that the wife would be happy driving and big enough for family stuff. Wanted something new-ish and low mileage. After lots of showroom wanderings we decided a Yeti fitted the bill. Wife wanted non-leather and sat nav, which meant SE Plus spec. I wanted a petrol one. Tried a 1.8 but it was a bit ropey. There were two good ones of these in the country when I looked and this one was a former company car from someone who worked at Bentley. Have had it nearly 7 years now.

Suzuki Swift Sport 1.6 - Wanted something more practical and smaller than the Megane RS250, with a n/a engine in it, just for it being the end of that era. Needed to be 5dr. Looked at 130is (for the last n/a straight six, RWD BMW) but wife wanted something newer. Prev gen Swift Sport ticked all the boxes and after looking nationwide I found a nice blue one at a dealer just 20 mins down the road.

Skoda Fabia 1.4i Ambiente - Wanted something small and sensible that we could also use as a family runaround but I could use for autosolos and targa rallying with @Sundayjumper . Ended up with something small and entirely not sensible that we can in no way use as a family runaround (hence also getting the Swift) but I can use for autosolos and targa rallying (and the occasional slow track day).
Left over crest; tightens.
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Jimmy Choo
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Re: How did you end up owning the car(s) that you have now?

Post by Jimmy Choo »

XJ6 - Back in 2011 I was thinking of buying an XJR but ended up putting every penny into a house purchase instead. I needed something more practical up until last year when the Saab 9-3 was displaying some concerning issues. Looking around, an XJ6 fitted my wallet better than an XJR so I bought one.
Banal Vapid Platitudes
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Brannen
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Re: How did you end up owning the car(s) that you have now?

Post by Brannen »

I got a PCP deal through BMW for my first 1 series . They called me up just after 2 years and asked if I wanted a new car. They offered some deals on the basic cars again, but I said I wanted something faster. Came back with a deal on the 120i which was about £20 a month more and a 125i which I think was about £25 a month more than the basic 116i I had. Went for the 125i (manual) and had it for over 5 years now. I believe someone else had an auto 125i on the forum before but genuinely quite a rare model. Think most went for the M135i at the time understandably but was a bit beyond my means at the time.
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Coaster1
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Re: How did you end up owning the car(s) that you have now?

Post by Coaster1 »

JonMad wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:11 am Suzuki Swift Sport 1.6 - Wanted something more practical and smaller than the Megane RS250, with a n/a engine in it, just for it being the end of that era. Needed to be 5dr. Looked at 130is (for the last n/a straight six, RWD BMW) but wife wanted something newer. Prev gen Swift Sport ticked all the boxes and after looking nationwide I found a nice blue one at a dealer just 20 mins down the road.
Which model year is yours Jon? Are they much of a muchness?

Alex’s post has got me looking at Zoe and then yours has got me into looking at Swift. I kind of miss Japanese dependability.
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JonMad
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Re: How did you end up owning the car(s) that you have now?

Post by JonMad »

Coaster1 wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:37 am
JonMad wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:11 am Suzuki Swift Sport 1.6 - Wanted something more practical and smaller than the Megane RS250, with a n/a engine in it, just for it being the end of that era. Needed to be 5dr. Looked at 130is (for the last n/a straight six, RWD BMW) but wife wanted something newer. Prev gen Swift Sport ticked all the boxes and after looking nationwide I found a nice blue one at a dealer just 20 mins down the road.
Which model year is yours Jon? Are they much of a muchness?

Alex’s post has got me looking at Zoe and then yours has got me into looking at Swift. I kind of miss Japanese dependability.
ZC31S is the first shape up to 2012. ZC32S from 2012-2018. ZC33S from 2018 on. The latter is a 1.4 turbo, the older ones are both 1.6 n/a
The later of those two is a more refined thing, bringing in a 6 speed box, and from around 2014 they have built in sat nav and DAB (I'm happy with it, though many people seem to swap in a double DIN CarPlay compatible unit). Otherwise the spec of them is identical so you can really buy on mileage/condition/colour. It's well specced beyond that - keyless entry, air con. A very active Facebook group if you're into that - lots of modding potential - I"m holding off for now.

It's less than a tonne. You can feel the lightness in the way it drives.

I'm not a million miles away from you so feel free to pop up and have a ferret around it.
Left over crest; tightens.
KevH18
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Re: How did you end up owning the car(s) that you have now?

Post by KevH18 »

2011 Ford Focus 1.6 ecoboost Titanium X. Had a first gen 1.8 petrol from 3 years old and 18k miles up to 11 years old and 104k. Started to feel a bit ropey and my wife was getting a car allowance to got a loan for 4 year old one with 21k miles with a personal loan in Jan 2016. Paid the loan off last year and not considering changing yet as still feels fresh and have only had to change an alternator and fix a leaking coolant pipe in the drivers footwell at a combined total of around £800. Would like to remap it as a local tuner with a good rep reckons this engine (shared with previous Fiesta ST) is good for over 200hp from around 150hp on a stage 1, but my wife isn't for the idea saying it will be a waste of time, and it's mainly her car :roll:. I did put a foam air filter on last year and removed the top of the air box for a few more whooshes from the turbo. It's a bit silly but no difference to cruising so happy with that.
Did test drive a current model Peugeot 308 1.6 diesel at the time but it was so dull I moved on quickly. Golfs, Leons etc. at the time were either a couple of years older/lower spec or both.

2012 Mazda 6 2.2d Sport. Bought from eBay for little over £1200 last year with 143k miles on. Focus is too small for going away with two kids so wanted a diesel Mondeo size car, preferably an estate, for our holiday to Netherlands last year, which never happened. Had a budget of £3-3.5k and managed to get fairly lucky buying this one unseen from eBay. Got a mobile mechanic to check over it for £50 before I paid for it and it's only needed a £60 battery and new front pads and discs in the time I've had it. Sailed through the MOT but does smoke a bit.
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Swervin_Mervin
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Re: How did you end up owning the car(s) that you have now?

Post by Swervin_Mervin »

Brannen wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:25 am I got a PCP deal through BMW for my first 1 series . They called me up just after 2 years and asked if I wanted a new car. They offered some deals on the basic cars again, but I said I wanted something faster. Came back with a deal on the 120i which was about £20 a month more and a 125i which I think was about £25 a month more than the basic 116i I had. Went for the 125i (manual) and had it for over 5 years now. I believe someone else had an auto 125i on the forum before but genuinely quite a rare model. Think most went for the M135i at the time understandably but was a bit beyond my means at the time.
Think that might have been us. I can't remember the username of the chap, but we bought from a guy called Richard off the old evo forums, when he and his other half were moving to Switzerland. Was a cracking car that 125i. It had the SportAuto 'box, extended screen, full memory seats, adaptive chassis and so on. Was very rare based on the spec and being a SportAuto.

Story of the 330i is fairly simple. I'd been bored for 4yrs by the Clio 197 before it, but was tied into a loan at the time. Once that was gone I'd decided after we moved house I wanted to chop the Clio in for something RWD, with more power, and more practicality. I'd had my fill of hot hatches by then. I'd narrowed it to either an E91 330i Touring or a 3.0 Legacy Estate. In the end settled on the 330 purely on the grounds that whilst performance seemed similar, the economy looked to be better.

They were fairly thin on the ground even back in 2012, so it was a case of Hobson's choice when one came up, but there were 2 listed at the same time in Nov '12, one with iDrive at a dealership in Shrewsbury and one without iDrive at an indy car sales place not far from Exeter. Keen to get the right one I employed the services of one Mr Flew to go and take a look at both and deliver his verdict. He said the latter one in Exeter so the deal was done.
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dinny_g
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Re: How did you end up owning the car(s) that you have now?

Post by dinny_g »

It was the most powerful option on the company car list, the last time I had to re-order.

I really don’t deserve to be here… :oops: :lol:
JLv3.0 wrote: Thu Jun 21, 2018 4:26 pm I say this rarely Dave, but listen to Dinny because he's right.
Rich B wrote: Thu Jun 02, 2022 1:57 pm but Dinny was right…
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Matty
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Re: How did you end up owning the car(s) that you have now?

Post by Matty »

V8Granite wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 8:22 pmtried the Audi RS2,
When was this? We may have already spoken and I've forgotten...how'd you find it?
V8Granite
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Re: How did you end up owning the car(s) that you have now?

Post by V8Granite »

A bit understeery, was quick but never settled down (I hate that with cars, I like them to flow with the road) but mainly it was the engine. It always felt like it was trying to build boost even at a cruise. Looked even better in the flesh than in pics too.

The Lotus Carlton though makes all of them look like GL spec cars 😂.

Dave!
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Coaster1
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Re: How did you end up owning the car(s) that you have now?

Post by Coaster1 »

JonMad wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:03 pm It's less than a tonne. You can feel the lightness in the way it drives.

I'm not a million miles away from you so feel free to pop up and have a ferret around it.
Thanks for the info; I might take up your offer cheers. Looking at CR-Z as well I miss my Hondas :lol:
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16vCento
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Re: How did you end up owning the car(s) that you have now?

Post by 16vCento »

XF - Didn't really want to replace my S60 tbh, but with doing more miles in this country with work, and with needing more rear leg room now the boy isn't a baby any more (S60s are tiny in the back some how for a longish car!), I idly started browsing practical estates with a bit of go still, and also looked for a Disco 4 V8 as I've always liked them.

Mk1 CLS was vetoed as it can't tow, and I don't like the looks of the MK2, tried a E350 which was nice, but numb and I didn't like the seats, they were very flat. V90 was lovely, but the engine wasn't very nice at all, and it didn't handle, at all.

So the XF popped up, wasn't too far away, was at a highly regarded dealer, top spec, best engine/gearbox and low mileage, went to look at it more for the day out as I was bored of been stuck in the house, ended up leaving a deposit 😂

V60 - Wasn't looking for it, chap I sold my wheels to from my S60 put it up for sale, hes had it from when it was sold by Volvo as a demo and it was immaculate, not a parking dent, scratch or mark on it, and it was very cheap, so I couldn't say no.

Xantia - Wanted one since my dad had one when I was a kid, his friend had a Cosworth at the same time he had that, and couldn't believe he couldn't lose it from his bumper round the a/b roads when we used to go to the caravan.
tim
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Re: How did you end up owning the car(s) that you have now?

Post by tim »

I woke up one day and decided I wanted an X308 XJ8, so I sold a load of stuff I had laying around unused on eBay over the course of 3 weeks.

I bought an X308 XJ8 with the £1,500 I'd made, and wafted happily ever after*

*until it broke **
** and broke some more ***
*** It's ok now.
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_andy
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Re: How did you end up owning the car(s) that you have now?

Post by _andy »

BMW M135i - Just fancied one, they were the hot shit at the time they were new and everyone seemed to love them. Also I was starting to do a few more motorway miles at the time, and the stupid short gearing in the Clio 197 I had, together with the really uncomfortable Recaro seats was all the justification I needed. The fact that it came up for sale at a dealer literally round the corner from my house sealed the deal.

Civic Coupe - I'd been hankering to revisit my DC2 ITR days for a while, I'd looked at a few over time but they were all really tired and/or expensive. The EG Coupe popped up on eBay with a B16A2 swapped in and some other nice bits, also it was a really nice colour. It was pretty cheap so I bought it sight unseen and had it delivered from t'up north just before we went into the first lockdown, and I lost my (shit) job :lol:

Toyota iQ - Prior to buying this I'd had one of the last of the original model Smart cars, I'd owned it for longer than any other car however it was never super reliable (1x engine rebuild at 90k, water pump, various suspension parts, 2x exhausts, 2x starter motors - around which the rest of the car is built, complete replacement of the bodywork, which is really brittle, etc.). And the gearbox is an absolute joke - dangerously bad, so I was over it. The iQ was the obvious choice, and the car I should have bought in the first place.

Spazda MX-5 V8 - I was aquiring bits to build one myself from my old Rover V8 powered car, but a finished one came up for sale local-ish. I took this as a sign from a higher power 😇 and bought it for a lot less than it would have cost me to finish mine.
simon_g
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Re: How did you end up owning the car(s) that you have now?

Post by simon_g »

VW eGolf - cheap lease deal came up, wife likes Golfs (this is our third in a row), perfectly suited to running kids about and all the other boring everyday stuff. Golf GTE (plug-in hybrid) before it convinced me how nice running about on electric is, so wanted something full EV. Considered a few secondhand options, nearly bought a new ZE40 Zoe but thought 2 year lease was better and wait a bit longer for the really good EVs to come along. Range short enough to get some experience of the public charging network, but not so short it's impractical and annoying like an old Leaf or something would be.

Honda Stepwgn - wanted a van/MPV for bikes, camping and tip runs, but didn't want a diesel (live a mile from the ULEZ extension zone), and definitely didn't want the scene tax for a T5/T6. Had inlaws visiting from NZ for a month and didn't fancy renting a 7 seater for that time. Went the JDM route as they do this sort of boxy, practical thing better than anyone and they realised diesel was a bad thing over 20 years ago. MPG is poor, but it only does maybe 2000 miles a year. The other stuff I was considering were similar - Toyota Noah/Voxy, Alphard, Elgrand.
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Gwaredd
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Re: How did you end up owning the car(s) that you have now?

Post by Gwaredd »

Seat Alhambra SE:
Changed from an E39 to this due to our 3rd child arriving. Tried every car seat going to be able to keep the BMW, but they were all too big to fit 3 across safely. I remember people on here arguing the toss that 3 car seats would fit in the E39, but I'm glad they were wrong. 14 years later we still have it and it's been the best 'car' I've ever owned. Still swallows our family with ease and in comfort, it has 7 'proper' seats (not thin fold away shit like the new ones have) and still does 50+ mpg (highest was 63mpg on a 700 mile trip to Bergerac). Only downside is the aircon is fucked (too expensive to fix for 3 weeks of the year) and the two rear seats are mostly out to give us a huge boot for our tiny dog, and are a pain in the arse to store. Will never replace it as it will see out our kids and Max has said he wants to take it when he leaves home. Weirdo.

Toyota Auris SR180:

Needed a car that would double nicely as a small van after a valve dropped in the Type R. Looked mostly at Golfs and Audi S3's, but being a tight arse, my budget would only stretch to leggy dogs and I needed reliabilty. Stumbled across this car fairly local to me, and as I never knew they even existed until I found the advert, thought I'd have a look. It ticked all the boxes. Looked like a van, fairly fast, comfy, fully loaded. It also helped that it was rediculously cheap. 3 grand with 70k on the clock and it had been fitted with a new engine by Inchcapes 20k ago due to a Toyota recall. It has been utterly faultless. Cheap to maintain, super comfy on long journeys and well damped on our crappy roads. It was a great buy, but I need to replace it soonish with a petrol as London hates it, even though it's Euro 5 compliant. Only downside is it's not amazing on fuel for a diesel, even on a run. Getting 40mpg from it is a real task.

Mk5 Transit:

Inherited with the business. 20 years old. Legend. Will never be sold.
Cheers.

Gwaredd
NGRhodes
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Re: How did you end up owning the car(s) that you have now?

Post by NGRhodes »

As we were doing a lot more miles a year (this is pre-covid), we were at a point where a derv made more sense, was trying to get a roughly 10 year old Octavia Estate, but dealers were liars or incompetent.
My brother, Vintage car restorer (MG specialist) told us about an older Audi estate had just come up for sale, by the guy who runs the garage next door to his, they share the same yard and he had seen this Audi for years, so knew it was rarely up on ramps and a good runner. My wife took it for a test drive first, preferred it to the 5 year newer Octavias we had been looking at. I took it for a test drive impressed at how smooth and how well the V6 pulled across the rev range. It was utterly filthy, lots of scratches and the usually rusting arches, but mechanically spot on. Full history including a recent cambelt and water pump (costly job on these V6 engines). Made an offer, knocked em down for the faulty aircon and accepted straight away.
drcarlos
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Re: How did you end up owning the car(s) that you have now?

Post by drcarlos »

TVR Chimaera - Hankered after a Griff500 for over 20 years with Covid lockdown saving money and the bonkers Jap market meaning I could sell the WRX for a profit I was able get into a TVR at a sensible price, not the pristine Imperial Blue with magnolia interior Griff500 but a cat N Chimaera 400 in Bordeaux Red with a Flint Grey interior project. It was bought sight unseen from eBay from a salvage yard who did the body repairs and has turned out so far not to be a complete money pit or unreliable. However there's plenty of time for that. With the engine spec I don't even feel shortchanged from a 500. Very likely a long term car.

L200 Barbarian - Got to the end of my tether with the Navara that seemed to break for fun so decided to replace it. Wanted a later model B40 (2006-2015) L200 Auto in top Barbarian spec. Looked at a couple of them and then this one appeared, not too far away, correct spec with optional heated seats, low miles and full history. Did a deal and that's that it's been fine for 18 months now even though I've never loaded it up with mower and caravan which is why we have a truck, it will happen eventually.
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